Italy’s Food Mafia Seeps Beyond Fake Olive Oil

You, as most of us, probably lost your innocence long ago regarding the virginity of Italian olive oil. Between counterfeiting, organized crime’s control of production, widespread technological fraud, dodgy distribution — it’s all been made increasingly public as new scandals surface year after year.

You may also know that the only way to ensure the Italian olive oil you buy is real is to go straight to the sources in the Italian countryside where, as with France’s Burgundy chateaux, you can witness the production process yourself, or rely on trustworthy contacts.

You may already be familiar with expressions such as ‘food mafia’ and ‘mafia harvest’ associated with the polluted world of “Italian Extra Virgin Olive Oil.”